but i us will wanted to acknowledge senator rubio's efforts last year to try to help us clear this bill for senate passage. but, unfortunately, like so many other bills, it was held up last year by the objection of one anonymous republican senator, even though both republicans and democrats supported it. what we said was, instead of having 100 senators vote on it, one senator stopped anybody from voting on it. but now is our opportunity to pass this. let's join together to make this important step to help trafficking victims and prevent human trafficking. you know, the united states remains a beacon of hope for so many who face human rights abuses. we see this every day, people want to come to our country to escape human rights abuses. and we know the young women and girls -- often just 11, 12, 13 years old -- are being bought and sold, and workers are being held and forced into labor against their will. it's bad enough when it happens in other countries. let's make sure it doesn't happen here. so i urge all nors senators to n passing the acts. people in this country and people around t